Do you struggle to find new meals to cook? Or perhaps you don't have time to run to the grocery store? Meal subscription boxes deliver pre-packaged, pre-portioned ingredients for meals right to your doorstep. These boxes take out the time-consuming process of finding a recipe, shopping, and preparing a meal. They can be a lifesaver for busy, but they're also helpful for people new to cooking. Some meal subscriptions offer premade meals, while others require cooking.
After researching the various types of meal subscription box plans available, we think HelloFresh is the best because of its diverse meals and preparation styles. Take a look at the other meal subscription boxes that made our top 10 list, and read through our buying guide for tips on choosing the best plan for you!
There are many types of plans and customizable options when it comes to meal kit subscriptions, so having a core list of necessary features will help your search for the right subscription.
$8.99
Meal options | Lunch, dinner |
---|---|
Meals per week | 2-4 |
Cooking required? | Yes, 3 levels of difficulty |
Serving sizes | 2, 4 |
Dietary preferences | Beef-free, pork-free, seafood-free, pescatarian, veggie, low-calorie, family-friendly |
Types of cuisine | Various |
Shipping cost | $8.99 |
$10.99
Meal options | Lunch, dinner, breakfast, proteins, sauce, snacks |
---|---|
Meals per week | 2-4 |
Cooking required? | Yes, 3 levels of difficulty |
Serving sizes | 2, 4 |
Dietary preferences | Paleo, vegetarian, gluten-free, pescatarian, carb-conscious, Mediterranean, diabetes-friendly, lean & clean |
Types of cuisine | American, Italian, Asian-inspired, Mediterranean, Spanish, Mexican |
Shipping cost | Varies |
$11.00
Meal options | Breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, sweets, add-ons, juices |
---|---|
Meals per week | 4, 6, 8 12, 18 |
Cooking required? | No |
Serving sizes | 1 |
Dietary preferences | Keto, paleo, low-carb, plant-based, vegetarian, high protein |
Types of cuisine | American, Asian, Italian, Mexican, Indian |
Shipping cost | Free |
$11.99
Meal options | Soup, salad, breakfast, dessert, snacks |
---|---|
Meals per week | 3, 4 |
Cooking required? | Yes |
Serving sizes | 2, 4 |
Dietary preferences | Lean and clean, vegetarian |
Types of cuisine | American, Greek, Italian, Asian, Mexican |
Shipping cost | $6.99 |
$8.49
Meal options | Lunch, dinner |
---|---|
Meals per week | 4, 6, 10. 12 |
Cooking required? | No |
Serving sizes | Single serving |
Dietary preferences | All meals are free of gluten, peanuts, artificial flavors, chemical preservatives |
Types of cuisine | American, pasta, Asian-inspired, Mexican-inspired |
Shipping cost | $5.99-$11.99 |
$4.99
Meal options | Lunch, dinner |
---|---|
Meals per week | 3-5 |
Cooking required? | Yes |
Serving sizes | 2, 4 |
Dietary prefereneces | None |
Types of cuisine | American, pasta, seafood, Asian, Mexican |
Shipping cost | $8.99 |
$5.99
Meal options | Lunch. dinner, breakfast, snacks |
---|---|
Meals per week | 6, 8, 12 |
Cooking required? | No |
Serving sizes | 1 |
Dietary preferences | 1-3 years old, 4-8 years old, 9-13 years old |
Types of cuisine | Kid-friendly |
Shipping cost | Varies |
$8.99
Meal options | Lunch, dinner |
---|---|
Meals per week | N/A |
Cooking required? | Yes, 3 levels of difficulty |
Serving sizes | 2, 4, 6, 8 |
Dietary preferences | Omnivore, carnivore, pescetarian, and vegetarian |
Types of cuisine | Various |
Shipping cost | Varies |
$9.99
Meal options | Lunch, dinner |
---|---|
Meals per week | 2-4 |
Cooking required? | Yes |
Serving sizes | 2, 4 |
Dietary preferences | Carb-conscious, WW-approved, vegetarian, diabetes-friendly |
Types of cuisine | American, seafood, pasta, Asian, Mexican |
Shipping cost | $7.99 |
$9.99
Meal options | Lunch, dinner, breakfast, snacks |
---|---|
Meals per week | 2-4 |
Cooking required? | Yes |
Serving sizes | 2, 4 |
Dietary preferences | Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, high-protein |
Types of cuisine | American, Italian, Asian, Mediterranean |
Shipping cost | Free |
Image | 1 ![]() HelloFresh | 2 ![]() Sun Basket | 3 ![]() Factor 75 | 4 ![]() Gobble | 5 ![]() Freshly | 6 ![]() Every Plate | 7 ![]() Yumble | 8 ![]() Home Chef | 9 ![]() Blue Apron | 10 ![]() Purple Carrot |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | One serving | One Serving | One Serving | One Serving | One Serving | One Serving | One Serving | One Serving | One Serving | One Serving |
Features | Many Different Cuisines and Options to Choose From | An Eco-Conscious Meal Plan | Ready-Made Meals for a Range of Diets | Home-Cooked Meals Without the Prep Work | A Certified Gluten-Free and Healthy Option | A Low-Cost Meal Subscription | A Meal Plan Full of Nutrition for Kids | Customizable Meal Kit With Big Serving Sizes | Creative Meals With Easy Instructions | A 100% Plant-Based Meal Kit Service |
Price | $8.99 | $10.99 | $11.00 | $11.99 | $8.49 | $4.99 | $5.99 | $8.99 | $9.99 | $9.99 |
Meal options | Lunch, dinner | Lunch, dinner, breakfast, proteins, sauce, snacks | Breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, sweets, add-ons, juices | Soup, salad, breakfast, dessert, snacks | Lunch, dinner | Lunch, dinner | Lunch. dinner, breakfast, snacks | Lunch, dinner | Lunch, dinner | Lunch, dinner, breakfast, snacks |
Meals per week | 2-4 | 2-4 | 4, 6, 8 12, 18 | 3, 4 | 4, 6, 10. 12 | 3-5 | 6, 8, 12 | N/A | 2-4 | 2-4 |
Cooking required? | Yes, 3 levels of difficulty | Yes, 3 levels of difficulty | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes, 3 levels of difficulty | Yes | Yes |
Serving sizes | 2, 4 | 2, 4 | 1 | 2, 4 | Single serving | 2, 4 | 1 | 2, 4, 6, 8 | 2, 4 | 2, 4 |
Dietary preferences | Beef-free, pork-free, seafood-free, pescatarian, veggie, low-calorie, family-friendly | Paleo, vegetarian, gluten-free, pescatarian, carb-conscious, Mediterranean, diabetes-friendly, lean & clean | Keto, paleo, low-carb, plant-based, vegetarian, high protein | Lean and clean, vegetarian | All meals are free of gluten, peanuts, artificial flavors, chemical preservatives | None | 1-3 years old, 4-8 years old, 9-13 years old | Omnivore, carnivore, pescetarian, and vegetarian | Carb-conscious, WW-approved, vegetarian, diabetes-friendly | Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, high-protein |
Types of cuisine | Various | American, Italian, Asian-inspired, Mediterranean, Spanish, Mexican | American, Asian, Italian, Mexican, Indian | American, Greek, Italian, Asian, Mexican | American, pasta, Asian-inspired, Mexican-inspired | American, pasta, seafood, Asian, Mexican | Kid-friendly | Various | American, seafood, pasta, Asian, Mexican | American, Italian, Asian, Mediterranean |
Shipping cost | $8.99 | Varies | Free | $6.99 | $5.99-$11.99 | $8.99 | Varies | Varies | $7.99 | Free |
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Meal subscription boxes have become a popular service, which means there are many choices. Luckily, that means that there are options that will suit your lifestyle and needs! Here are some points to keep in mind as you look for the right one for your household.
Whether you hate cooking or it's one of your biggest passions, there are meal subscription boxes that can cater to you and your skills. Some meal subscription boxes come with pre-cut or pre-mixed ingredients that require little prep work, while others require washing and cutting ingredients.
If you want to learn how to cook, a subscription with varying levels of difficulty can help you learn techniques and seamlessly transition to more difficult cooking methods. Recipes come in a card, booklet, or digital form and sometimes have accompanying visuals to help guide you through the process.
The average cooking or preparation times for the meals are usually listed next to the recipe to help you schedule that time into your busy day. There are even subscriptions that offer fully made meals that only need to be heated up in the microwave or oven.
Some subscription services are specifically catered to various diets, like ketogenic, gluten-free, or vegan. If you or someone in your family has dietary restrictions or preferences, this is one of the most important things to consider when narrowing down your choices.
Some services allow you to substitute or omit certain parts of a meal, so check how customizable the meals are. Up-to-date and past menus are usually available online, so looking through the options and customization choices can give you a better idea of what you'll receive.
For those with severe food allergies, many subscriptions have a risk of cross-contamination, so be sure to keep that in mind.
Delivery schedules vary from service to service. Some subscriptions allow you to choose the date and time, while others have a set delivery day. Consult your schedule and think about when you are available to receive the box.
While the boxes are designed to keep the food inside fresh and protected, being home to receive the delivery will ensure proper food preservation, keeping the ingredients fresher and tastier. Most boxes don't require you to be home during delivery, but be sure to check the protocol to ensure you don't miss the delivery day!
If you or anyone in your family is a picky eater, look through the types of meals a subscription service offers to get an idea of what you may be signing up for.
If you are an adventurous eater and want to experiment with new dishes or cooking methods, a meal subscription service with a wide variety of options and cuisines is a fun way to try out flavors you didn’t know existed.
Most services publish several weeks' worth of menus so you can get an idea of the types of food they offer and what is coming up. Since most menus rotate weekly, looking for a subscription with a lot of menu choices will decrease the likelihood of having the same meal twice.
Subscription services usually only offer lunch or dinner. If you're looking for a meal box to cut cooking time for breakfast, you may be eating dinner for breakfast or end up paying more to add breakfast services.
Some subscriptions even offer snacks, which may be helpful if you get too busy to eat during the day. Make sure to check exactly what’s offered so you can get the most out of your subscription.
When looking for a meal subscription, read through some of the recipes and note what they require. Getting an idea of what kitchen tools and supplies are necessary for the meal will prevent the dreaded moment of receiving a meal to prepare only to realize you can’t make it!
In terms of tools, most subscriptions will assume that you have a pan, pot, oven, and microwave. Most services also assume that you have kitchen staples like oil, salt, pepper, and butter.
There may also be recipes that require a blender or mixer. Information on what kitchen tools you need are usually listed in the FAQ section on subscription sites.
Subscribing to a local CSA (community-supported agriculture) is a great way to support your local community and receive fresh, in-season vegetables. Farmers fill boxes with fruits and vegetables that reaped a good harvest and send them about once a week.
CSA boxes are a great chance to try new foods and recipes because you may not know what exactly you're going to get. Since the produce you receive is in-season, it will have a higher nutrition content than out of season produce. Knowing exactly where your food is coming from and how it’s handled is an added benefit of CSA boxes.
CSA boxes can be difficult for some people, though. Since the produce is fresh, it's prone to going bad more quickly. Recipes aren't always included, so researching recipes can be necessary. Because CSA boxes have an aspect of shared risk, some weeks may bring a lot of food, while others might not yield anything.
Now that you're ready to start your meal kit subscription, you're going to need some basic tools. Here are some of the best kitchen tools to help you make meals and clean your kitchen.
Household goods
Home electronics, PC, camera
Cosmetics and skincare
Food and drinks
Kitchen supplies
Clothing
Shoes
Accessories
Kids and baby
Interior and furniture
Hobbies
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DIY and tools
Sports and fitness
Pets
Books, CDs, DVDs
Games
Cars and motorcycles
Gifts
Housing equipment and renovation
Smartphones and mobile phones
Mobile data
Investment and asset management
Credit cards and loans
Insurance
Music
Smartphone applications